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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. wind — moving air
  6. tear — from crying
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. vault — a safe
  9. content — the amount
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. root — of a word
  13. content — happy
  14. fine — high quality
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. root — of a plant
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. fine — all right
  21. tear — from crying
  22. root — the cause
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. wind — moving air

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com